Massachusetts
A fifth child dies of flu in Massachusetts, adult deaths up to 107 this season, according to state health officials – The Boston Globe
No information about any of the children, their hometowns or health history has been released by the state.
State health officials could not be reached for comment Friday night.
At least two of the children were younger than 2 and were in Boston, the city’s Public Health Commission said. They are the first reported flu deaths in children in Boston since 2013, officials said.
Adult deaths from influenza are up to 107, according to the health department’s weekly influenza update. Forty-five adults died during the week from Dec. 28 to Jan. 3, the dashboard shows.
National health officials say 32 children have died from from flu so far this year and estimate there have been 9,300 adult deaths.
The flu season nationally appears to be waning with two straight weeks of decline in measures of flu activity, according to the latest government data released Friday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted data — for flu activity through last week — that showed a big drop in flu hospitalizations and a smaller but significant decrease in medical office visits due to flu-like illness.
CDC officials are calling the current respiratory virus season “moderate.” But that doesn’t mean the season is over, especially for flu. Second surges in flu activity often occur after the winter holidays.
There were 470 flu-related deaths in Massachusetts during the 2024-25 flu season, up from 251 in 2023-24, according to DPH.
The flu season typically spans from October through May, but the first flu-related death in Massachusetts this year was reported in August, data shows.
This year’s children’s deaths underscore the severity of this season’s influenza outbreak, public health officials said.
In November, state health officials warned of “rising flu activity and the potential for a significant surge” this season and have urged people to get vaccinated.
Medical experts have worried about this season because it has been dominated by a kind of flu virus, called A H3N2, that historically causes the most hospitalizations and deaths in older people.
Even more concerning, about 90% of the H3N2 infections analyzed this season were a new strain that differs from the version accounted for in this year’s flu shots.
In Boston, hospitalizations almost tripled and confirmed flu cases increased by 126 percent during the week of Dec. 14 to Dec. 27, city health officials said.
Nationwide, there have been at least 18 million flu illnesses and 230,000 hospitalizations reported, according to the CDC.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her @talanez.
Massachusetts
Smoke from North Attleborough fire visible for miles
Fire broke out at an apartment building in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, on Monday afternoon, sending a column of smoke high into the air.
NBC affiliate WJAR-TV reports the smoke was visible from miles away from the building on Juniper Road.
More details were not immediately available.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Massachusetts
Life Care Center of Raynham earns deficiency‑free state inspection
Life Care Center of Raynham has received a deficiency‑free inspection result from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, a distinction awarded to a small share of the state’s licensed nursing homes, according to a community announcement.
The inspection was conducted as part of the state’s routine, unannounced nursing home survey process overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. These comprehensive, multi‑day inspections evaluate multiple aspects of facility operations, including staffing levels, quality of care, medication management, cleanliness, food service and resident rights.
State survey records show that Life Care Center of Raynham met required standards during its most recent standard survey, with no deficiencies cited, based on publicly available state data.
The announcement states that fewer than 8% of Massachusetts nursing homes achieve deficiency‑free survey results. That figure could not be independently verified through state or federal data and is attributed to the announcement.
In addition to the state survey outcome, the facility is listed as a five‑star provider for quality measures on the federal Medicare Care Compare website. The five‑star quality measure rating reflects above‑average performance compared with other nursing homes nationwide, according to federal rating methodology.
Officials said the inspection results reflect ongoing compliance with state and federal standards designed to protect resident health and safety. According to the announcement, the outcome is attributed to staff performance and internal quality practices.
This story was created by Dave DeMille, ddemille@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
Massachusetts
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